Wanna exploit my scar, little girl?

I heard the line of those waiting to piss on my grave was lined up around the corner, but alas, I did live through my surgery on 10/14. Still recovering… but not dead.
Oh, and Happy Halloween!

Amazon’s Sales Rank and Fat Liberals

Last week, Michael Moore’s new book Dude, Where’s My Country? hit #1 on Amazon, even before it’s release this past Tuesday. Today, it’s #2 shoved off it’s perch by… (drum-roll!)… The South Beach Diet.
Oh, MANNNN! So Amazon’s overrun with fat liberals, who are apparently more fat than liberal. And to think, I was starting to have faith in you.

What Shall We Do with a Drunken Sailor?

For the next four days, San Francisco is under attack…
It’s Fleet Week, the most notable event being the frequent full-throttle low-passes the Blue Angels make over the city scaring the bejesus outta everyone, setting off car alarms, and compensating for their inadequacies… [and I dare them to prove otherwise! :-)]
At any rate, enjoy! No doubt biz in North Beach will be brisk this weekend.

The Real Beneficiaries of the Iraq War

One of these days, I’m gonna stop spewing politics, maybe around November 2004, or perhaps when I move to Canada.
But not today. Check out Divvying up the Iraq pie [alternet.org], a detailed report on who the real winners of the Iraq war. (HINT: It’s NOT Iraqis!)

America’s Iraq-sticker-shock may turn to anger when taxpayers discover the small group of men and companies reaping the benefits of President Bush’s newly found appreciation for nation building. While Vice President Dick Cheney’s company, Halliburton, has attracted most of press attention for its Iraq-related contracts, Halliburton is hardly the whole story. Halliburton’s share is but a slice of multi-billion dollar pie being divided up among a brotherhood of unusually well connected and economically related individuals and entities.

Salon also notes To the cronies go the spoils.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch: SURPRISE! SURPRISE! Phone logs and records related to the Plame leak investigation will be given to White House lawyers before being turned over to the Justice Department. Some have fingered the Bush camp in the leak, calling it an act of revenge. But you knew we’d never really know what happened, didn’t you?

Gov. Arnold: Mmmm… Misguided Frustration

It appears Schwarzenegger will take the governorship of California. He ran as an “independent” Republican, a for-the-people, “let’s take back California” kinda guy. Bush “won” spewing this ideology in 2000, which was clearly utter bullshit, so why Californians are buying it this time around is beyond me. Ugh, misguided frustration, me thinks. But I digress…
Unfortunately, I don’t really think Arnie understands what he’s up against: This is a solidly Democratic state. The assembly and state senate are heavily Democrat, and I hate to break the news to him during his victory lap, but listen up Arnold: you’re only going to get as much done as they want you to…
But anyway… bygones. Let’s see what happens.
As for Gray Davis, for better or worse, his political career is effectively kaput.
Some interesting nuggets:

• Election Results [cnn.com]
• Prop. 54 went down, the so called “Racial Privacy Act” which really amounted to nothing more than “racial discrimination without a paper trail”
• San Francisco, where I live, is as Democratic as always, saying no to the recall by a 4-to-1 margin (80%). The rest of the Bay Area also said no to the recall, but by not nearly the same margins. The rest of the state was ~60/40 for, with Los Angeles being nearly 50/50. Just look at this SpatiaLogic map, and you’ll get an idea of why the Bay Area is so unique in this state.
• CNN Exit Polls: 64% of voters said Schwarzenegger did NOT “address the issues.” (Uh, then why’d you vote for him, fool!?) 47% thought the recall was a waste of money, and more believe we can’t solve the budget crisis without raising taxes than those who do not
• CNN Quick Vote [unscientific]: 83% believe the recall will NOT solve California’s problems
• Democrats are already circling their recall wagons… as if you didn’t see that coming. Target: 3/04. To get you started: Procedure for Recalling State and Local Officials [www.ss.ca.gov]
• Many pro-lifers voted for Arnold even though he’s clearly pro-choice. Usually a deal breaker. Republican win at any cost?
• Cruz Bustamante is still Lt. Governor and will continue to serve under Arnold’s administration
• Support Arianna Huffington’s Clean Elections Initiative for the March 2004 ballot
• The Daily Show with Jon Stewart tonight: “This just in… Schwarzenegger has been accused of groping Hitler inappropriately.”

Recall Free-for-All 2003

Well, here we are, (re-)election day.
There’s little doubt Gray Davis will receive the most number of votes, more than Arnold, Cruz, or any other candidate. The problem is Davis needs at least 50% of the vote to just survive, and all Arnold needs is more votes than any other recall candidate — of which there are over 130. And, of course, there’s the rub: While unlikely, it is possible for Davis to loose with 49.9%, and Arnold to win with only 1% of the vote.
Food for thought. Now go vote.

Twisted Sister supports Arnold

Yep, there it was… in all it’s odd, misshapened freakishness: Dee Snider (of Twisted Sister) singing “We’re Not Gonna Take It” on the steps of the capitol in Sacramento today. WTF? Maybe Dee’s Austrian? T-48 hours and the state is in full frenzy mode — and we’re all in the splash zone.
It’s not like I was going to vote for Arnold, and unfortunately I can’t stick my finger in my vagina and let him smell it (seeing as I don’t have one), although I’ll be happy to stick it somewhere else and let him smell it…